'04 5.3L in a '01 V6 Camaro.

[clinebarger]

This is my new project, 2001 3.8L/4L60E Camaro. My Suburban is going to donate it's 5.3L & 300mm 4L60E to the cause, It's a very clean Onyx Black T-top car, The intake gaskets let go (pouring coolant into the oil). I got it for $1200. The drive from Newark (Texas not New Jersey) to Ft. Worth was an experience....The gauge would not read over 210 because the lack of water over the CTS when it got hot, Had to wait for the engine to start cutting out to know it was hot & pull over, Let it cool & add water. Went through 8 gallons of water!

Bought a Spohn K-member & engine stands, F-body oil pan, LS2 intake, 5th gen F-body brackets & accessories, New Delco LS1 radiator, BBK 1-3/4 headers & Y-pipe , 3" pipe kit & a Borla muffler.

Used '98 TA "Cone style" 2-series posi carrier, New Yukon "Thick" 3:42 gears, New Moser street axles & new Koyo bearings, Thinking about a stud girdle style cover....The 7.6" diff needs all the help it can get.

Have a '05 LQ9 cam & New L92 valve springs. Changing the springs as a precaution.

Sorry for the awful pictures, Better ones to follow.

[ls1nova71]

Damn, is it snowing in Dallas these days???

So, whats going back in the 'Burb?

[Clyde65]

Cline, I would have went with you to pick her up. I have access to a trailer and your truck would have easily pulled it or I could use mine ( not the 65).

I love the plan, poor sub though! what you going to do with it??

[Hart_Rod]

Should be a fun build CB!

[Low Elco]

In! Learn at the feet of the master!

[Wasted Income]

When does the turbo go on??

[68GMCCustom]

cool project....I'll be following. I've often wondered how practical a LSx V8/trans swap into a V6 4th gen would be as V6 convertibles are cheap. Is the rear the same as if it were a V8 powered f-body?

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by ls1nova71

Damn, is it snowing in Dallas these days???

So, whats going back in the 'Burb?

About once a year, We don't deal with it well. The entire metroplex shuts down.

Originally Posted by Clyde65

Cline, I would have went with you to pick her up. I have access to a trailer and your truck would have easily pulled it or I could use mine ( not the 65).

I love the plan, poor sub though! what you going to do with it??

I appreciate the offer John, It was a hurry up & get it out of there type thing, I didn't think he would take my offer...He wanted $2500.

The Suburban has out lived its usefulness with the kids being older, And the little problems I have put off fixing....Heater core, Rear A/C took a dump last year, Rear gears making noise, Widow motors getting weak, Interior getting tattered, Slow radiator leak.
I'm not selling it, Going to pull the engine/trans & push it behind the garage.

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Should be a fun build CB!

Originally Posted by Low Elco

In! Learn at the feet of the master!

Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

When does the turbo go on??

For right now, The N/A 5.3L will have to do, All my fun money is going toward the swap, $274 for a pan & $500 for a K-member, New GM 5.7L motor mounts for this car are $100 a piece! LS6 valley cover...Another $100. I realize I'm preaching to the choir here
I will probably put a cammed L92 in it later.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

cool project....I'll be following. I've often wondered how practical a LSx V8/trans swap into a V6 4th gen would be as V6 convertibles are cheap. Is the rear the same as if it were a V8 powered f-body?

Yes, Both use the same weak 7.6" corporate diff, Axles will be shot in 100K on V6 & V8 cars (Wheel bearings eat into the axle)
V6 car do have a better gear ratio though, Most came with 3:42's. Most V8/auto car have 2:73's, 3:23 was optional though. To get 3:42's in a V8 car...It had to be 6 speed.

'98 & up F-bodies all have the same brakes.

Sway bars are different between the two. Heavier on V8 cars.

Front springs are different.

The radiator is different, Fans & shroud is the same.

K-member, Engine stands, And you need LS1 motor mounts.

V6 fuel system will work, However all V6 cars have a engine mounted FPR. I'm going to run a aeromotive FPR & Aeromotive rails.

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

I'm going to run a aeromotive FPR & Aeromotive rails.

One less thing to change when you boost it

[Clyde65]

I get it Chris, you know if you need anything I would be happy to help. Did that guy from Ft Worth ever get in touch with you about his truck and LSx install?

Ill be watching, this wont take you long I am sure.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I had one I bought from a guy already converted. 1994 with a LQ4/T56 installed and barely running. I parted it out after having a bit of fun with it, chassis was rusted and wrecked, and his harness was downright scary. If I remember right, you also need a 98-02 V8 steering rack as well. Otherwise looks like you are on the right track.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

I get it Chris, you know if you need anything I would be happy to help. Did that guy from Ft Worth ever get in touch with you about his truck and LSx install?

Ill be watching, this wont take you long I am sure.

Thanks John, It will be a little bit, I need to do it on the lift at work....That will take some scheduling!

Originally Posted by MalibuSSwagon

I had one I bought from a guy already converted. 1994 with a LQ4/T56 installed and barely running. I parted it out after having a bit of fun with it, chassis was rusted and wrecked, and his harness was downright scary. If I remember right, you also need a 98-02 V8 steering rack as well. Otherwise looks like you are on the right track.

There is a "performance ratio" Rack, And a "standard ratio" Rack. Nothing that prevents me from installing the engine.

Clean 4th gen F-bodies that have not been wreaked are HARD to find...The only reason I bought this one.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I'm sure you are also aware you need the tailhousing for the trans to bolt the torque arm to?

[clinebarger]

I have been researching how to get the Cluster to work, There is so much misinformation on the internet.

My '04 Blue/Green PCM will not control the '01 cluster, Though some mention segment swaps....No follow through on threads I have found.

'99 & up clusters use Serial Data for every gauge besides the Speedometer & Volt gauge.


'98 F-bodies have full analog gauges.

4000 ppm from the PCM for the speedo.
Tach output from the PCM for the Tach.
Oil pressure sensor wired direct to the cluster.
3-wire coolant temp sensor, Has 2 functions, Temp reading to the PCM, And a feed directly to the Cluster.
Volt gauge reads off the ignition voltage to the cluster.

The problem is...How to get the Fuel Gauge to work? The '98 fuel gauge resistor is wired to the PCM, It buffers the signal & sends it on a dedicated circuit to the Cluster.

I have a '98 Trans Am 160mph cluster, This is the research I did....

Fuel Sender OHM's

According to a GM TSB...
'98 Camaro V6 & V8 250-40 ohms
'98 Firebird V8 250-40 ohms
'98 Firebird V6 40-250 ohms

According to AllDataPro
All '99-'02 F-bodies 40-250 ohms

Great, The resistance is backwards. I decided to do a working model. Because I don't trust the info.....

'97-'98 PCM (GM racing, version 1) It has the same service number as a '98 V8 F-body, wired the grounds, Ignition hots, battery hots, & Data link connector.
Powered up the Cluster Ign., B+, & grounds
Wired the fuel gauge output to the cluster.
Used some resistors from Radio Shack to simulate a Fuel Sender.

66.9 ohms, Fuel gauge reads just above empty or 10%

147.3 ohm, Fuel gauge reads half or 45%

214 ohms, Fuel gauge reads almost full or 83%

Either the Ohm range info for a '98 T/A is wrong, Or this "GM Racing" PCM has a non-F-body base tune. I check the VIN with my Tech 2 & it read GM**RACING**VERSION**1......That was weird.
Also double checked the fuel sender that is in the car now, Gauge reads 1/4 tank & the Sender resistance is 123.3 ohms, So it does have a 40-240 sender.

If I use this set-up, The '98 PCM will only work the gas gauge.....I have to find a place to mount it, wire it, & re-pin the cluster plug. I will call it the Fuel Gauge Module

It would be great to make the Truck PCM run the "Serial Data" cluster.
I have access a '00 T/A 0411 PCM for the needed gauge segment.
Any insight on this?

Pics, I was using a 18V dewalt battery, The volt gauge is reading a little high.....

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by MalibuSSwagon

I'm sure you are also aware you need the tailhousing for the trans to bolt the torque arm to?

I am aware, My car being an '01, The 245mm 4L60E tailhousing that it has now will bolt right up to my 300mm 4L60E.

[MalibuSSwagon]

I wouldn't go with the 98 PCM, specific to the 98 Harness and there are other reasons.

Why not use a 1220411 ECU, with an f-body harness and convert to cable throttle? 411 are easy to find in the boneyards for about any 99-02 truck/suv/van applications.

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by clinebarger

If I use this set-up, The '98 PCM will only work the gas gauge.....I have to find a place to mount it, wire it, & re-pin the cluster plug. I will call it the Fuel Gauge Module

^^As I stated, The '98 PCM will only control the fuel gauge. It's locked anyway.

Going to use the '04 "Blue/Green" truck PCM & drive by wire for now for a couple reasons....

My LS2 intake does not have provisions for a throttle cable bracket. I am not about to pay what people want for LS1/LS6 intakes.
'01 V6 Camaros are already drive by wire, No hole in the firewall for the cable.

[BR3W CITY]

PLEASE leave all V6 badging and wheels on it! It will be fun for trolling.



Sooo....Cline, I see she has a 4l60e. You know when it breaks your gonna have to tell us and post pictures
And then you can post pics of how to fix it...since I know you know that too.

[Clyde65]

I bet the wifey gets the Camaro!

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

PLEASE leave all V6 badging and wheels on it! It will be fun for trolling.



Sooo....Cline, I see she has a 4l60e. You know when it breaks your gonna have to tell us and post pictures
And then you can post pics of how to fix it...since I know you know that too.

It will stay 100% stock on the outside! The 300mm 4L60E will be fine

Originally Posted by Clyde65

I bet the wifey gets the Camaro!

It's worse.....She is eyeballing my Duramax......She is not a car girl.

Some parts I got in...

[68GMCCustom]

great info and definitely have my attention. I've seen a V6 here or there with a blown motor yet the car was clean. I think I may just be doing one of these sometime in the future. I'd probably wind up trying to find one with a stick and along with the V8, swap to the t56...unless I find a really nice auto.

[clinebarger]

Got the engine/trans out of the Burb today. This was the first nice day that I've had off in a couple weeks. You guys need to keep that snow up north where it belongs

[Clyde65]

Amen to the snow thing Chris.

Looks like you moving along!

[67chevysupercharged]

How economical is this swap compared to just buying a V8 98-02 f body? What would be different with bolting the tailhousing and torque arm in say a 94-97 fbody?